Neurosurgeons' Perspectives on Vascular Entrustable Professional Activities.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery Education
• Medical Assessment
• Competency-Based Medical Education

Background:

• The transition to Competence by Design (CBD) in Canadian neurosurgery necessitates understanding current assessment practices.
• Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are central to CBD, requiring faculty to evaluate resident performance.
• Variability in assessment and feedback can impact resident training and patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore Canadian neurosurgeons' perceptions of EPA assessment and variability.
• To understand how vascular neurosurgeons would evaluate residents on a specific intracranial aneurysm surgery EPA.
• To identify potential challenges and training needs for implementing CBD assessments.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with vascular neurosurgeons.
• Analysis of interview transcripts using a deductive thematic approach.
• Focus on the EPA: Performing surgery for patients with an intracranial aneurysm.

Main Results:

• Identified subjectivity and biases in current EPA assessment forms.
• Highlighted variability in how faculty perceive and would conduct assessments.
• Indicated a need for faculty development in CBD evaluation methods.

Conclusions:

• Canadian neurosurgeons perceive significant variability in EPA assessments prior to CBD.
• Subjectivity and bias are present in assessment forms, potentially impacting resident evaluation.
• Enhanced faculty training is crucial for successful implementation of the Competence by Design system.